Stamp-canceler



(No Model.)

.S. A. MILES.

STAMP GANGELER.

No. 420,580. Patented Feb. 4, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

STEPHEN ABIJAH MILES, OF MERRIMAC POINT, ILLINOIS.

STAM P-CANCELER.

' SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 420,580, dated February 4, 1890.

Application filed April 10, 1889- Serial No. 306,651. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, STEPHEN ABIJAH MILES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Merrimac Point, in the county of Monroe and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Stamp-Canoeler, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to stamp-cancelers of that class adapted to be applied to cigar and tobacco boxes at the time the revenuestamp is pasted thereon, and by which said stamp may be thoroughly and elfectually destroyed, as required by law, after the box is emptied and before it is thrown away or passed into the possession of some other person.

In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cigar-box with the stamp thereon, my stamp canceler being shown in dottedlines in the position it occupies before the box is opened. Fig. 2 shows a side View of the same with the box opened. Fig. 3 shows the same in detail perspective when the operation of canceling is just commenced. Fig. & is a plan View of the box, showing the grooves in the same; and Fig. 5 is a detail perspective of the canceler detached. I

The same letters of reference are applied to similar parts throughout.

The letter B designates a cigar or tobacco box or any box upon which a revenue-stamp must be used. Across the upper face of this box I provide a number of grooves G, preferably three, although such grooves may be omitted, if preferred.

0 is my improved canoeler, which comprises a number of flexible strings or wires 0, equal to the number of grooves G, and united at their ends in a knot K.

S is the stamp.

In assembling the parts the canceler is first laid in the grooves with its ends 0' hanging over the sides B of the box, as shown in Fig. 1, after which the stamp S is pasted longitudinally over the canceler and grooves in the position illustrated.

The box is opened in the ordinary manner by inserting a screw-driver D (or other implement, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1) in the crack at the front of the box and prying the lid up. This operation breaks the stamp across the line I) and forcibly draws the front end 0 of the canceler from beneath the separated portion S of the stamp, leavv must be thoroughly destroyed and canceled according to law. To effect this the dealer grasps the exposed end 0 of the canceler and draws it quickly and forcibly upward and backward in the direction of the arrow a, resulting in the separation of the stamp into (in this case) four longitudinal strips, as seen in Fig. 3. Thecanceler may then be thrown aside or retained for return to the boxer for future use; but the extreme simplicity and cheapness thereof does not necessitate its careful preservation unless desired. Itwill be understood that I may use one or any number of strings a; but I prefer three, knotted at K, as shown.- r

I claim as the salient features of my invention- The box B, having its lid provided with one or more grooves, combined with the cord or cords O, laid in said groove or grooves and passing down around the side edges of the lid over the line of separation thereof, and the stamp S, pasted longitudinally over said cord down upon the opposite vertical sides of the box, so that when the lid is opened the stamp is broken so as to forcibly draw the free end of the cord from beneath the separated portion of the stamp, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto ailixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

STEPHEN ABIJAH MILES.

WVitnesses: I

FRED J OBUSCH, FRANK DURFEE. 

